Finding Joy: Quiet Stillness and Christmas Light

As my life has progressed it has taken turns I did not expect, and as it has, the memories of my childhood become more and more precious to me. I remember as a child being so excited about Christmas that I couldn't sleep, especially on Christmas eve. And then if I eventually did, I would wake up at like 4am the next morning in anticipation of what lay in wait for me. I would sneak my little self up the stairs as quiet as I could and look at that beautiful tree with all the presents around. I would just sit there in the quiet all by myself and look at the beauty of it all. While I was excited to see what gifts I would get, that's not what I thought about while I sat there in the middle of the night/morning. I was enjoying the quiet sense of peace and love that filled our home. I know now that it was the spirit of Christmas that I was feeling. I still truly enjoy that almost magical feeling of sitting in a room lit only by a tree. I hope that I never get too old to feel the Joy of this season and remember those precious childhood moments stolen in the wee small hours. I look forward to sharing those kind of joyous times with my beautiful daughter.